6.5/257 Bob Ackley brass life?

[mnbogboy]

Below is a chunk of brass I've had for nearly 20 years....
It started out as factory ammo 30-06.  My co-worker/ neighbor gave me a couple boxes of his empties probably in 2000 or 2001 when I first started working with him.
They all were immediately necked down to 25-06.
At one time there was 3 25s in the safe so as far as how many loadings in that caliber it is hard to say.
Ended up with just one and the last time through Betty Lou my Remington the neck had a small split.
If I would guess, probably 10-15 loading + the one time through my neighbors 06.
Well not one to waste, my 6.5 Bob used converted 270, 25-06, 7x57, 8x57 and 257 brass....why not?
When converting I draw the cases through a 260 body die and then cut off the excess neck before fireforming.
The split was now totally gone.  After annealing and fireforming that case has been loaded and fired 10 or 11 more times.  It was in my "hunting load" bunch because it's volume matched a lot of converted 270 rem brass.  To top it off the odd duck 30-06 case mixed in the 270 brass made it the "lucky" round.
My grandson shot his first mule deer with that case and I've shot at least two whitetail and an antelope with it!
Yesterday I was pulling down last year's cold welded bunch with the inertia hammer and low & behold the neck was split!   
The end of an era! .....well I could make a creedmoor or 260 case from it....?

Pictures:
1. Original 30-06 case
2. Original weight when converted to 25-06 194.6 grains.
3. Weight as 6.5 Bob AI  187.8 (final actual 187.7)
4. Neck split.

[mnbogboy]

In my quest for a different brass lot for the upcoming deer seasons found a couple of combinations that were promissing.

Hard to believe but the PPU 8mm mauser brass showed the most. Both days were shot in very gusty conditions here.
But the second day verification loads says to me "good to go" in both 8mm brass brands.

Quick mag speed check 2792 & 2793 with the 140 accubonds.  Basically CM velocities with 49+ grains of h4831sc.
Today's target is same load in Hornady 8x57 brass.

Forming from 8x57 brass is the easiest I've found.
257 roberts & it's parent 7x57 mauser brass always end up short after fireforming.  8mm mauser gives me at least the little extra to form full length brass.

BTW; I tried to make a creedmoor case from old "lucky " this morn....failed went in the brass bucket!?

[DHuffman]

@mnbogboy

Just stumbled onto this thread. First I'm kind of the same way as in I have many pounds of brass that I can't bring myself to scrap because I might have a use for it someday.
Second what are you using to number those cases?

[mnbogboy]

"Cheap" 120v electric "tool" etchers.
Tried numbering 1-50, 1-100 and even A1 - A50 etc, and recording weights separately but for me the weight right on the case allows easier interpretation on the target.  Velocity vs weight etc for my "hunting" purposes.   
Takes a steady hand which isn't so easy as aging of hand/eye coordination takes hold.?
Also most of my stuff is mid 100s so no need for the "1"  (172.4 = 72.4).
Don't know who it might help but ends up part of my routine. Takes longer to weigh the brass than marking it.

[DHuffman]

Interesting I've thought about doing that before but worried the engraver might weaken the brass.

[mnbogboy]

Interesting I've thought about doing that before but worried the engraver might weaken the brass.

Many years so far, no problems (knock on wood) if the lettering is too tall tends to gradually wear off because of chamber & die contact.